List of Albanian Americans
This is a list of notable Albanian Americans, including both original immigrants who obtained American citizenship and their American descendants. Note: An asterisk (*) next to a name indicates that the person is Arbëreshe, an Albanian subgroup from Italy. Science and academia * William G. Gregory – astronaut * Carol Folt – biologist and first woman leader of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill * Laura Mersini-Houghton – cosmologist * Ferid Murad – medical researcher Nobel laureate * Arshi Pipa – philosopher, writer, poet and literary critic * Andrea Shundi – agronomist * Stavro Skëndi – linguist and historian Cinema * Jim Belushi – actor * John Belushi – actor and film producer * Robert Belushi – actor * James Biberi – actor * Tracee Chimo – actress (Albanian father) * Eliza Dushku – actress (Albanian father) * Nate Dushku – actor (Albanian father) * Mike Dusi – actor and film producer * Enver Gjokaj – actor * Victor Gojcaj – actor * Agim Kaba – actor and film producer * Masiela Lusha – actress * Peter Malota – actor * Nickola Shreli – actor and producer * Klement Tinaj actor * Mitchel Musso – actor * J. J. Philbin – American producer and screenwriter * Greg Cipes – American actor, voice actor, singer, musician, and professional surfer Arts and entertainment * Big Body Bes – hip-hop artist * DJ Ashba – American musician, producer, and songwriter * Action Bronson – hip-hop artist * Albert Stanaj – singer * Bosch Fawstin – cartoonist * Olivier Berggruen – art historian and curator; his maternal grandfather is Alessandro Moissi who is of Albanian origin * Luke BurbankTBTL with Luke Burbank: 1-18-11 12:00 pm-1:00 pm, podcast at KIRO-FM website (Burbank discusses his place on Wikipedia's List of Albanian Americans).http://www.infiniteguest.org/tbtl/2016/11/a-very-specific-set-of-insecurities/ – radio and podcast host * Emina Cunmulaj – model * Drita D'Avanzo – television personality * Kara DioGuardi* – singer/songwriter and television personality * Tony Dovolani – professional ballroom dancer * Stan Dragoti – film director, producer, artist * Afërdita Dreshaj – model, singer, beauty queen * Angela Martini – model * Kristine Elezaj – singer * JMSN – singer/songwriter and producer * Joe Lala – actor and singer * Paul Leka – music songwriter and producer * G4SHI – hip-hop artist * Ava Max – singer * Gjon Mili – pioneer photographer * Burim Myftiu – contemporary photographer * Thomas Nassi – musician and composer * George Pali – painter * Talip Peshkepia – film composer and songwriter * Regis Philbin* – television personality * Bebe Rexha – singer and songwriter * Bobbi Starr – pornographic actress * Alby Rydes – pornographic actress * Breanna Benson – pornographic actress * Sislej Xhafa – contemporary artist * Mario Dedivanovic – makeup artist * Jasmina Cunmulaj – American model * Sxip Shirey – American electric-acoustic composer, performer, and storyteller * Steven Parrino – American artist and musician associated with energetic punk nihilism Literature * Daniela Gioseffi – poet, novelist, literary critic, essayist, and performer * Pema Browne – American abstract artist Business and civil society * Anthony Athanas – restaurateur * Ekrem Bardha – businessman, political activist * Nicolas Berggruen – businessman * Mark Gjonaj – businessman, politician * Florin Krasniqi – businessman, politician * James J. Schiro* – businessman * Martin Shkreli – businessman * Ramiz Tafilaj – businessman, political activist * Ema Koja – designer Media * Fadil Berisha – photographer * Emin Kadi – photographer, journalist, art director * Florina Kaja – singer and reality TV actress, The Bad Girls Club Season 4 * Bill Kovach – journalist and editor * Donald Lambro – journalist * Eric Margolis – journalist and editor of the Toronto Sun; mother is Albanian * Gjekë Marinaj – author and translator * Gjon Mili – photographer * Burim Myftiu – photographer * Tom Perrotta* – novelist and screenwriter * Molly Qerim – moderator, reporter * George Tames – photographer for The New York Times * Nick Tosches* – journalist, novelist, biographer, and poet * Nexhmie Zaimi – journalist Politics * Joseph J. DioGuardi* – Congressman * Mark Gjonaj – Assemblyman, New York * Sal Albanese* – politician * Nicholas Scutari* – Democratic Party politician * Midhat Frashëri – diplomat, writer and politician * Hasan Dosti – jurist and politician * Spiridon Ilo – nationalist, politician * Rexhep Krasniqi – historian, teacher, nationalist, and anti-communist politician and activist * Petro Nini Luarasi – priest, writer, teacher, nationalist * Kolë Tromara – nationalist and political figure of the first half of the 20th century. * Bilal Xhaferri – poet and novelist, political * Konstantina Lukes – former mayor of Worcester, Massachusetts * Fan S. Noli – former Prime Minister of Albania and founder of the Albanian Orthodox Church * John Papajani – former Washington State Senate member *Victor H. Schiro* – politician, 55th Mayor of New Orleans, Louisiana *Bardhyl Tirana – co-chair of the Presidential Inaugural Committee (1976–1977) and director of the Defense Civil Preparedness Agency (1977–1979) Science and technology * Donald Leka – pioneer in cloud computing and creator of the award-winning Glide OS "Albanian-American Donald Leka Selected Among 300 of the World's Most Respected Innovators" Frosina.org Sport * Dilly Duka – MLS soccer player * Lee Elia – baseball player, coach and manager * Elizabeta Karabolli – shooting sport * Edon Molla – basketball player * Elvir Muriqi – professional boxer * Aaron Palushaj – professional hockey player * Andy Parrino* – baseball player * Enkelejda Shehu – air pistol shooter who represented Team USA at the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro * Jaren Sina – basketball player * Kristjan Sokoli – NFL player * Donald Suxho – volleyball * Andy Varipapa* – professional trick bowler * Joe Albanese* – baseball player * Robert Baggio Kcira* – American soccer player * Šaćir Hot – American soccer player * Frank Leskaj – American swimmer who swam for Albania at the 1992 Summer Olympics in Barcelona by swimming in the 50m Freestyle, 100m Freestyle, and the 100m Breaststroke Religion * Nikon Liolin – OCA's Bishop of Diocese of New England, Locum tenens of Diocese of the South, and Archbishop of American Albanian Archdiocese Criminals * John Alite – mobster * Joseph Ardizzone* – mobster * Ismail Lika – mobster * Alex Rudaj – mobster References External links *National Albanian American Council *Alb-Net.Com – The Albanian Connection *Albanian Americans – history, the first Albanians in America, significant immigration waves, settlement patterns and notable Albanian Americans * Americans Category:Lists of American people by ethnic or national origin Albanian